@topic:
Well, I don't know what the majority is. But no, not all people log into ESO for the "multiplayer experience". There are people like me (and my husband) who were just tired of waiting for a new single player TES (and liked Skyrim the least of all the series, so wouldn't play that one ad nauseam). It took quite a bit of convincing by friends that this MMO was indeed not dependent on playing with others, and really had to offer lots of story quests, not tons of repeatable group stuff to bring us here. And no, we don't even play it together the majority of the time.

WrathOfInnos wrote: »

I'm surprised by all the anti-group comments. We all start out as solo players, typically playing through the main quests as well as overland and guild quests, but I would have thought most have some friends or guilds they play with if they've been around a while. What do long-term solo players do? [snip]
I guess I figured that most multi-year players had some community engagement, and that a majority of them would be doing some form of end game group content: Cyrodiil, IC, BG's, dungeons, arenas or trials (normal or vet). I'm sure I'd be long gone if ESO had only solo content, or best case would play for about a week after a new expansion launch.

I'm here since 2016, and I joined two guilds. One that explicitly offered a relaxed, casual "no strings attached" membership and a guild trader. And later one with a better trader spot, strictly for trading.
I only group if people from my relaxed guild or in zone chat look for help/event cooperation, or spontaneously in IC/Cyrodiil during events (usually don't do any PvP), seldom with some real life friends to do the story of the dungeons (those are the only times I use Discord).
So, now and then I spontaneously group with people. We do whatever we headed out to do, text chat a bit while doing it, have a nice time, then go our separate ways.
I have no time,. no inclination, and no nerve to make any social commitments in a computer game. I want to play the game when I want, in the way I want, for as long as I want (somewhere between 10 mins and 6+ hours a day). And I'm there to play, not to chat with people. I'm not averse to a casual conversation in zone chat, or explaining things to newbies who ask, and helping them out. But I don't need and want people to "hang out with", instead of using my limited play time to actually do game things.
And as to the things I do... No BGs, no trials, no vet dungeons, seldom dungeons, IC/Cyrodiil only during events, almost never arenas. I play all the story content. Explore the zones. Read books I encounter (if I like them). Finishing a zone really thoroughly, all things included but high-end group stuff (like trials), takes a lot more time than just "a few hours" of questing. And I actually listen to most quest dialogue, not skip-skip-skip my way through it.
Aside from finishing the stuff represented by the "zone guides" I chase the leads for antiquities I like (mostly furnishings and cosmetics). Work on catching fish. Repeat dailies on and off for zone motifs (only those that actually drop, though, and usually buy the last one or two missing pages) and furnishing plans. Decorate my house(s). Go on collecting sprees now and then (surveys and treasure chest maps). Run a public dungeon for fragments of some thing if I'm in the mood once in a blue moon (at the moment for the mummified alfiq). Do event quests to get the tickets and/or event rewards.
So far I found enough to do without repeating things over and over again.
To be clear: This is not an "anti-group" statement. People who like grouping, or hanging out in the game with friends, or whatever - I wish them the best of fun. Go for it! They just shouldn't assume that all multi-year players want to play that way, or that it's the only way to "kill time" in ESO.